Cantos Cautivos

« The dream of the political prisoner was to regain freedom. All of us would feel joy when one of us was about to be released from prison, although it far from easy to see a comrade depart. Even less so for those who suspected they would never enjoy that privilege. »

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Song of a Middle-Class Man (Canción de un hombre medio)

Music piece by:

Sergio Vesely

Testimony by:

Sergio Vesely

Experience in:

« In our political discussions, we always spoke disdainfully of the middle class. In the view of the Marxist ideologues in prison, that sector of society supported the dictatorship and it was necessary to reverse that trend. »

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Song of the Disappeared (Canción del desaparecido)

Music piece by:

Sergio Vesely

Testimony by:

Sergio Vesely

Experience in:

« Several of my friends and comrades disappeared after being arrested. The dictatorship denied knowledge of their whereabouts but I knew they were lying. »

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The Little Snail (El caracolito)

Music piece by:

Sergio Vesely

Testimony by:

Sergio Vesely

Experience in:

« I composed this song for a small children’s party we organised in the visitors’ yard of the Valparaíso Jail. I remember how the children had fun that day and enjoyed the play. That was the first time I put down the guitar so that a prisoner who played the accordion could accompany me. »

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Mid-Afternoon Love (Amor de media tarde)

Music piece by:

Sergio Vesely

Testimony by:

Sergio Vesely

Experience in:

« This song is dedicated to Graciela Navarro, who managed to make my prisoner's life more beautiful on the days we were allowed to receive visitors. »

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The Rain is Falling (Scende la pioggia)

Music piece by:

The Turtles ('Elenore'), with new lyrics by Gianni Morandi

Testimony by:

Eduardo René Cuevas

Experience in:

Cárcel de Los Ángeles, September 1973

Tags:

« This song was a workhorse for the prisoners. Iván Moscoso sang it, accompanied by a guitar, in a powerful and defiant voice, and the most altruistic among us sung along in the presence of the gendarme guards, in a courtyard that was only for political prisoners. »

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« Cárcel de Los Ángeles »

Oh Saving Victim (O salutaris Hostia)

Music piece by:

text by Saint Thomas Aquinas; music by Lorenzo Perosi

Testimony by:

Roberto Navarrete

Experience in:

Cárcel de Santiago, November 1973 - April 1974

Tags:

« The political prisoners’ cell block in Santiago Prison was established when they transferred many people from the National Stadium in October or November 1973. »

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« Cárcel de Santiago »

« I would like to add, to the testimony of Alfonso Padilla, a picture of the musical group that performed the Joan Baez song, 'We Shall Overcome'. This group was formed and led by Alfonso Padilla during his time in prison. I was one of the first guitar students of Padilla. »

We Shall Overcome

Music piece by:

Attributed to Charles Albert Tindley

Testimony by:

Héctor Salgado

Experience in:

Cárcel de Concepción / Cárcel El Manzano, December 1974

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« Cárcel de Concepción / Cárcel El Manzano »

To my Little Dove (A mi palomita)

Music piece by:

Teófilo Vargas Candia, popularised in Chile by the group Quilapayún

Testimony by:

David Quintana García

Experience in:

Cárcel de Rancagua, 1974 - 1975

Tags:

« On 10 September 1974, a folk band of Communist Youth activists arrived at the prison of Rancagua. They were arrested to prevent them from participating in the demonstrations and other acts against the dictatorship on 11 September through their role as musicians and activists. They were freed on the 12th. They were arrested again in September 1975. »

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« Cárcel de Rancagua »

You Will Pay (The Cigarette Smoke) (Pagarás [El humo del cigarrillo])

Music piece by:

Manuel Mantilla

Testimony by:

Fernando Aravena

Experience in:

Cárcel de Santiago, 1989

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« The political prisoners were isolated but when they made us go down to the courtyard, we were with the common prisoners. »

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« Cárcel de Santiago »